1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
The prior art discloses devices used for affixing surfboards and the like to the roof of vehicles that are provided with a roof carrier, roof bars or brackets that fasten to the walls of a truck bed. However, none disclose affixing a device to the conventional rain gutter provided over the doors of a conventional vehicle.
The prior art abounds with devices for affixing surfboards or the like to the roof of vehicles during transport, such as, the patent issued to Langbauer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,070) on Apr. 26, 1983. This device does not disclose a means for preventing theft of the transported article.
The patent to San Juan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,055) issued on Jan. 5, 1988, discloses a bracket that utilizes conventional ski and surfboard racks to position the skis and surfboards over the truck bed. The patents to Finnegan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,362) issued Sep. 19, 1989 and Tittel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,71) issued Jun. 5, 1990 disclose means for mounting a ski carrier attachment onto the carrier bar of an automobile roof carrier.
However, there is no showing or suggestion of an apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle utilizing the conventional rain gutter, door jam or the like, provided over the doors of a conventional vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a simple apparatus that is readily installed on the roof of a vehicle, while preventing the theft of the article mounted thereon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive apparatus for transporting surfboards while preventing damage thereto, as well as, protecting the vehicle on which it is mounted.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to transport a single surfboard or a pair thereof, with the same theft protection.
An adjustable rack and clamping apparatus for rigidly and removably retaining surfboards or the like to a vehicle, while preventing the theft thereof, according to the principles of the present invention, include a pair of mounting bars with support means disposed beneath the distal ends of each of the mounting bars disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a pair of generally I-shaped clamping mechanisms, one of which is generally centrally disposed on each of the mounting bars, at least two generally C-shaped clamping mechanisms, one of which is slideably disposed on each said mounting bar on at least one side of the generally I-shaped clamping mechanisms, each of the I-shaped and said C-shaped clamping mechanisms are provided with an anchor means adapted to cooperate with mating anchor means disposed on the mounting bars to hold the I-shaped and the C-shaped clamping mechanisms in a fixed position and means for fastening the mounting bar support means together with the mounting bar to the roof of the vehicle.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. Like-reference characters are utilized to designate like or corresponding components in the various views, in order for the reader to better understand features of the invention.